Astilbe plant named ‘Smile At Me’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Astilbe  plant named ‘Smile At Me’, characterized by its compact and broadly upright plant habit; dark green leaves; freely and uniformly flowering habit; dark pink-colored flowers that are positioned just above the foliar plane on strong reddish brown-colored stems; and good container and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Astilbe arendsii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SMILE AT ME’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Astilbe,botanically known as Astilbe arendsii and hereinafter referred to by thename ‘Smile At Me’.

The new Astilbe plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in 's-Gravenzande, The Netherlands. Theobjective of the breeding program was to create new uniform and freelyflowering Astilbe plants with attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Astilbe plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in 2010 in 's-Gravenzande, The Netherlands, of two unnamedselections of Astilbe arendsii, not patented. The new Astilbe plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant fromwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse environment in 's-Gravenzande, The Netherlands in 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Astilbe plant by vegetative divisions ina controlled environment in Afferden, The Netherlands since December,2013 has shown that the unique features of this new Astilbe plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Astilbe have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Smile At Me’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Smile At Me’ as a new and distinct Astilbeplant:

-   -   1. Compact and broadly upright plant habit.    -   2. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   3. Freely and uniformly flowering habit.    -   4. Dark pink-colored flowers that are positioned just above the        foliar plane on strong reddish brown-colored stems.    -   5. Good container and garden performance.

Plants of the new Astilbe differ primarily from plants of the parentselections in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Astilbe are shorter and more compact than        plants of the parent selections.    -   2. Plants of the new Astilbe are more freely flowering than        plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Astilbe can be compared to plants of Astilbe arendsii‘Gloria’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inHillegom, The Netherlands, plants of the new Astilbe and ‘Gloria’differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Astilbe were shorter and more compact than        plants of ‘Gloria’.    -   2. Plants of the new Astilbe were bushier and denser than plants        of ‘Gloria’.    -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Astilbe were positioned        just above foliar plane whereas inflorescences of plants of        ‘Gloria’ were positioned much higher than the foliar plane.    -   4. Plants of the new Astilbe were more freely flowering than        plants of ‘Gloria’.    -   5. Inflorescences of plants of the new Astilbe and ‘Gloria’        differed in flowering stem color as plants of ‘Gloria’ had        green-colored flowering stems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Astilbe plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Astilbe plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Smile At Me’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typicalleaflets of ‘Smile At Me’.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of typicalinflorescences of ‘Smile At Me’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in 22-cm containers during the latesummer and early autumn in an outdoor nursery in Afferden, TheNetherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Astilbeproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperatures rangedfrom 14° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures ranged from 6° C. to 18° C.Plants were one year old when the photographs and description weretaken. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Astilbe arendsii ‘Smile At Me’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed Astilbe arendsii seedling            selection, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed Astilbe arendsii seedling            selection, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By divisions.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About three weeks at temperatures            about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Thick, fleshy.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact            and broadly upright plant habit with inflorescences held            just above the foliar plane; plant shape broadly triangular;            flowering stems and leaves basal; freely flowering with            numerous basal branches developing per plant; low vigor;            freely and uniformly flowering habit.        -   Growth rate.—Slow-growing; from divisions, about ten months            are required to produce fully-grown flowering plants in            containers.        -   Plant height (soil level to top of foliar plane).—About 22            cm.        -   Plant height (soil level to top of inflorescences).—About 12            cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 30.5 cm.        -   Stem description.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Strength: Strong, sturdy. Texture: Sparsely pubescent.            Luster: Moderately glossy. Color: Close to N199C.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate in basal rosettes; biternately            compound; about 9 to 27 leaflets per leaf.        -   Leaf length (excluding petiole).—About 15.4 cm.        -   Leaf width.—About 15.5 cm.        -   Leaflet length.—About 5.2 cm.        -   Leaflet width.—About 2.1 cm.        -   Leaf shape.—Roughly deltoid to broadly ovate in outline.        -   Leaflet shape.—Ovate.        -   Leaflet apex.—Narrowly apiculate.        -   Leaflet base.—Attenuate.        -   Leaflet margin.—Serrate to biserrate.        -   Leaflet texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Moderately            pubescent; rough.        -   Leaflet luster, upper surface.—Glossy.        -   Leaflet luster, lower surface.—Somewhat glossy.        -   Leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Leaflet color.—Developing leaflets, upper surface: Close to            146A tinged with close to 183B. Developing leaflets, lower            surface: Close to 199A; venation, close to 187C. Fully            expanded leaflets, upper surface: Slightly darker than            between NN137B and 147A; venation, close to 148A. Fully            expanded leaflets, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,            close to 176B to 176C.        -   Leaf petiole length.—About 4.5 cm.        -   Leaf petiole diameter.—About 2 mm.        -   Leaflet petiole length.—About 8 mm.        -   Leaflet petiole width.—About 1 mm.        -   Leaf and leaflet petiole texture, upper and lower            surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Leaf and leaflet petiole color, upper and lower            surfaces.—Close to 187B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rotate flowers            arranged on terminal panicles; flowers face upright,            outwardly or drooping depending on position on the            inflorescence; panicles broadly conical in shape; freely and            uniformly flowering habit with about 2,500 flowers            developing per inflorescence.        -   Fragrance.—Faint; sweet, pleasant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about ten            months after planting; continuously flowering from early to            late summer in The Netherlands.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about ten days on the            plant; flowers persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Shape: Elliptic. Color: Close to 59D.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 24.5 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 17.7 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 6 mm.        -   Flower depth.—About 4 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl. Length: About 3 mm. Lobe width: About 0.5 mm. Shape:            Oblanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Luster, upper and            lower surfaces: Dull. Color: Developing petals, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 70D. Fully expanded petals, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 73C; color becoming closer to            73D with development.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl, fused towards the base; campanulate-shaped calyx.            Length: About 2.5 mm. Width: About 0.8 mm. Shape: Ovate.            Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Luster, upper and lower            surfaces: Dull. Color: Developing sepals, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to N66B. Fully expanded sepals, upper            surface: Close to 67D; towards the apex, close to 63A. Fully            expanded sepals, lower surface: Close to 67B; towards the            apex, close to 63A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 23.6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Angle: Erect to about 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 174A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm. Angle:            About 45° from peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 59A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            ten. Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color: Close to            70D. Anther shape: Ovate, basifixed. Anther length: About            0.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 186D. Pollen amount: Scarce.            Pollen color: Close to 156D. Pistils: Quantity per flower:            Typically two. Pistil length: About 2 mm. Stigma shape:            Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 70D. Style length: About            1.75 mm. Style color: Close to 70C. Ovary color: Close to            70C.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Astilbe.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Astilbe have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Astilbe    plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Astilbe have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and high    temperatures of about 35° C. Plants of the new Astilbe have been    observed to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 5.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Astilbe plant named ‘Smile At Me’as illustrated and described.